The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1887-07-22
CHAPTER XXI
own THE ATED

MI. AlSVon Hllu Ernest carried out their
plans as regards sport. They went up to
Lydenhurg and had a months wderbeeste
and blesbok shooting within three days'
"trek" with an OK wagon from that curious
little town. The style of life was quite new
TO Ernest, and he enjoyed it much. They
had an OK wagon and a span of sixteen
"salted" oxen, that is, oxen which will not
die of lung sickness, and in this numbering
vehicle they Travelled about wherever fancy
or the presence of buck took them Mr. Al
ston and his boy Roger slept in the wagon
and Ernest in n little tent which was pitched
every night alongside, and never did he sleep
sounder There was II freshness and freedom
about the life which charmed him. 1t is
pleasant after tbe days shooting or travelling
to partake of the hearty meal of which the
piece de resistance generally consists of a
stew compounded indiscrimnately of wilde
beeste beef, bustard partrdges, snipe rice
and compress ed vegetables-a dish, by the
way, which is, If properly cooked, fit to set
before king And then comes the pipe or
rather succession of pipes, and the talk over
the days sport, and the effect of that long
shot, and the hunting yarn that it reminds
me" of. And after the yarn the well known
square bottle is produced, and the tin panni-
kins, out of which you have been drinking
tea, are sent to the spring down in the hollow
to be washed by the Zulu "voorlooper" who
objects to going because Of the "spooksn
GHOSTS which he is credibly informed inhabit
that hollow; and you indulge in your evening
tot" and smoke more pipes, and talk or
ruminate az the fancy takes you. And then
at last up comes the splendid African moon
Ike radiant queen rising from n throne Of
inky cloud, flooding the whole wide veldt
with mysterious light and reveals the long
lines of game slowly travelling to their feed
ing grounds along the ridges of the rolling
plain.
After month Of this life Mr.. Aston came
to the conclusion that there would now be no
danger in descending into the low country
toward Delagoo bay in search of large game
Accordingly, they started. For the first
month or so things went very well with them.
They killed a good quantity Of buffalo,
koodoo, Gland, and water buck, also two
giraffe, but to Ernests great disappointm +
did not come across any rhinoceros, and only
got shot at one lon which he missed, though
there were plenty around them
As they were approaching the wagon they
met the Zulu voorooper, a lad called Jim.
who had been out all day watching the cattle
as they grazed. He saluted Mr.. Aston after
the Zulu fashion, by lifting his right arm and
saying the word "Inkoos," and then stood
still
"Wel, what is it, boy" asked Mr.. Alston
"Have you lost the oxenlr
NO, lnkoos, the oxen are safe at the yoke
1t Is this. When | was sitting on the kopie
yonder, watching that the oxen of Inkoos
should not stray, an Intombi" young girl
"froin the kraal under the mountain yonder
came to me. She is the daughter of a Zulu
mother who fell into the hands of Basutu
dog and my half cousin
"Wellp
"lnkoos, l have met this girl before I
have met her when / have been sent to buy
mas" Chuttermill) ''at the kraal"
"Inkoos, the girl came TO bring heavy
news, such as will press upon your heart
Sikuiuni, chief of the Bapedi, who lives over
yonder under the Blue mountains has de
clared war against the Beers"
Il hear"
"Sikukunl wants rifles for his men such as
the Boers use. He has heard of the lnkosis
hunting here. Tonight he will send an Impi
to kill the lnbosiS and take their guns"
"These are the words of the Intombim
"HeS, lnkoos, these are her very words
She was sitting outside the tent grinding
'imphf" (katfer corn "for beer, when she
heard SikukuniS messenger order her father
to call the men together to kill us tonight
u hear AT what time of the night was
the killing to hel'
AT the first break of the dawn, so that
they may have light to take the wagon away
by"
Good! We shall escape them. The moon
will be up in an hour, and we can trek away"
The lads face fell.
"AlaN' he said lit is impossible; there is a
spy watching the camp now. He is up there
among the rocks; saw him as brought the
oxen home If we move he will report it.
ana we shall be oVertaken in an hourn
Mr.. Aston thought for a moment, and
then made up bis mind with the rapidity that
chaiacterlzes men who spend their life in
dealing with savage races.
"Mazooiiu," he called to a Zulu who was
sitting smoking by the camp fire, man whom
Ernest had hired as his particular servant
Tie man rose and came to him and saluted.
lie was not very tall man, but, standing
there nude except for the "moochan round
his CENTER his proportions, especially those of
the chest and lower limbs, looked gigantic
lie had been soldier in one of Cetywayos
regiments, but having been so indiscreet as to
break through some of the Zulu marriape
laws, had been forced to fly for refuge To
picked up peculiar language which he called
English. Even among a people where all the
men are fearless, he bore a reputation for
bravery. Leaving him standing a while, Mr.
Aston rapidly explained the state of the case
to Ernest, and what he proposed TO do. Then
turning he addressed the Zulu.
"Mazooku, the lnkoos here, your master,
tells me that he thinks you a brave man.
The Zulus handsome face expanded into a
smile that was positively alarming in its
extent.
"He says that you told him that when Won
were Cetywayo's Dlan in the Undi regiment.
you once killed four Basutus, who set upon
you together"
Mazooku lifted his right hand and sauted
by way of answer, and then glanced slightly
at the assegai wounds on his chest
well, tell your master that / do not be-
lieve you. 1t is a lie you speak TO him: Won
ran away from Cetywayo because you did
not like TO fight and be killed as the kings OK,
as brave man should
The Zulu colored up under his dusily skin.
and again glanced at his wounds.
"Ow-w!" he said.
BAH there is no need for you to look at
those scratches; they We're left by women's
nails. You are nothing but woman. 81
lencel who told you to speakl II you are
not woman, show it, There Is an armed
Basutu among those rocks. He watches us.
Your master cannot eat and sleep in peace
when he is watched. Take that big bang
wan Cstabbing assegaD you are so fond of
showing and kill him, or die cowardl He
must make no sound, remember"
Mazooku turned toward Ernest for confir.
nation of the order A Zulu always likes to
take his orders straight from his own chief,
MIR. Aston noticed it, and added:
81 am the lnkoosi's mouth and speak his
wordsn
MazoolSu saluted again, and, turning, went
to the wagon to fetch his assegai
"Tread softly, or you viii wake him, and
he will run from so great a man, Mr.. Aston
called after him, sarcastically.
81 60 among the rocks to seek 'mouti'r
(medicine, the Zulu answered, with a smile.
"We are in n serious mess, my boy,n said
Mr.. Aston TO Ernest, "and it is a toss up if
we get out of it. | taunted that fellow so
that there may be no mistake about the spy.
He must be killed, and Mazooku would rather
die himself than not kill him now.n
"Would it not have been safer 10 send an
other man with himP
"Yes; but ! was afraid that il tho scout
saw two men coming toward him he would
make Off however innocent they might look.
Our horses are dead, and if that fellow es-
capes we shall never get out of this place
alive. 1t would be folly 10 expect Basutus
TO distinguish between Beers and Englishmen
I when their blood is up, and besides, Siku-
kuni has sent orders that we nTr In Ina Lillaa